Will Good Men Go To War?
by TrenchcoatWarrior67
Summary: In a last-ditch effort to get the boys to play their roles, Gabriel takes Cas and Crowley along with him to 1997, where the boys are struggling through high school. After seeing the rough treatment they face at school, Gabriel decides to include the entire school in his little plan. Will the boys really be persuaded to say "yes" when the time comes?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: Supernatural and all it entails most certainly do NOT belong to me. Carry on.**

Stonewall High was a prison.

"Gabriel, I highly doubt that this is a prison. Prisons do not have mascots or higher learning or-"

Somebody really needs to tell this guy to lighten up.

"Good job, Nancy Drew, how could I not see that? What with the gourmet cafeteria food and scheduled exercise regime..."

"My name is not Nancy."

"Well, I would love to waste all my time with you two but as it so happens, THERE IS AN APOCALYPSE GOING ON!"

Gabriel and Cas turned to look at the third member of their party.

"I am the King of the Crossroads, and I'm wasting enough time as it is helping Winchester and his moose, so this had better be important."

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Doctor Who. That's why we're here. This is Stonewall High, current torture chamber of the Winchester brothers. Well...sort of."

Cas just squinted.

"Sort of. As in, not really."

"Technically it's 1997."

Pause.

"And this is productive, how exactly?"

Gabriel glared at Crowley and returned his attention to the foreboding monstrosity in front of him.

"I'm going to show them nuggets of their future. Just enough to convince them to take on their roles."

"That is EXTREMELY DANGE-"

"What in the BLOODY HELL would y-"

SNAP!

"Oops, too late."

The trio looked around at the halls of Stonewall. Cold, gray lockers set into cold, gray concrete and the only light coming from industrial bulbs hanging along the ceiling. There were no windows. All of the doors were thick slabs of steel, and the staircases  
were precariously steep.

"Perhaps you were correct, Gabriel."

"Hey! Losechester!"

Three unamused/unimpressed gazes fell upon the large boy who had called out. As the school day was over, it wasn't unusual for a few adults to be wandering the halls, but only a handful of stragglers remained otherwise. Turning to look at the target of  
the boy's shout, though, quickly confirmed who was straggling.

Sam Winchester was just slinging his backpack over one shoulder when he heard the call. An annoyed but determined look crossed his face as he purposefully turned away and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Losechester! Hey, I'm talking to you! You turn around when I'm talking to you, you freak!"

Sam continued walking.

"What, running to your freak brother to protect you? Gotta hide behind mommy? Oh, that's right...Dean's your mommy 'cause you don't have one!"

Sam stopped. Took a breath. Turned.

The seemingly invisible trio took a break from their shared puzzlement to adopt expressions of mild surprise at the look in Sam's eyes.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The kid's eyes were blank and dull, dark circles accentuating the sunken sockets, hollowed cheeks, and sharp angles of his face. He looked like death.

"I know Brian. I know it's my fault. I know that I'm the reason we don't have a mother. You've taught me that, and I won't forget it. But I still have a father, one that won't accept conversation as an excuse for being late. So unless you want to miss  
out on a punching bag tomorrow I suggest you let it go. Why don't you take an early swing?"

It was delivered in a monotone, a dead voice, with no pleading, indignation, or sense of self preservation.

Brian took his swing.

And another for good measure.

"Thanks."

And Sam Winchester was out the door.

Brian was long gone.

The trio stared.

"I...I think there's been a slight change of plans."

"Was that really...Sam?

"That was the smallest, most docile moose I have ever seen."

Gabriel turned to the other two, a dangerous spark I his eyes.

"Gather round, boys. We've got work to do."

The next day started perfectly normal for the Winchesters. Sam and Dean were dropped off by John and spent the first half of the day struggling.

Sam went about his life in a numb trance, letting in sideswipes and bookchecks without a second glance. He couldn't use his skills on people, and everything they said about him was true, so why bother?

Dean had to force himself not to beat up everybody that insulted Sammy. Or him, but mostly Sammy. He may be a hardheaded 18-year-old but he knows that just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should.

It was just after lunch when everything went haywire.

As usual, Sam and Dean ate in their own little corner of the caf, away from prying eyes and vicious mouths.

Before anybody could get up to leave, the PA system crackled to life.

Would students and staff please move to the auditorium for an assembly. Attendance is mandatory unless you wish to die a fiery, painful death in oh...about 13 years. And please-

-Gabriel you cannot threaten these humans, they don't know-

-do NOT be late!

-Yes, I would rather not collect too many souls all at once. Bad for the complexion.

Everyone was frozen.

The first voice was animated, and hopefully joking about their impending doom. The students didn't recognize it, nor did they recognize the gruff second voice or accented third voice. But, seeing as they very much wished to remain living, they all began  
to file towards the auditorium.

All, that is, except for the Winchesters.

"What the hell?"

"You thinkin' demon?"

"Well Alfred over there was for sure. Batman...I don't think so. Now I gotta call the first guy Robin...uhh...hard to tell. Maybe somewhere in between?"

"In between? Dean, they can pass for human. And what the hell is in between a demon and a...whatever Batman is?"

"I don't know, okay? We better call dad and get our asses into that auditorium. Right now we're the only thing protecting those people from a 'fiery, painful death'. Even though some of them deserve it."

Silence.

"Sammy? You with me on this?"

"Yeah Dean, I'm with you."

When they got to the auditorium, everyone was already seated, looking around and whispering in confusion.

"Where're Batman and Robin? And Evil Alfred?"

"How am I supposed to know? Wait, look-on stage."

All of the lights had gone out, except for a large spotlight directed to the center of the stage where an enormous movie screen had descended.

The crowd hushed themselves, leaning forward in anticipation of the mystery guest. There was silence-

GOOOOOOOD MORNIIIIIING VIETNAAAM!

Everyone jumped out of their seats and looked around wildly for the source of the voice, Sam and Dean included.

There was a sound like wings flapping, only magnified tenfold, and suddenly onstage were the Batclan-err, Supernatural Squad.

The excitable one-Robin-had his arms spread wide in greeting, a mischievous smile still on his face. He was the one who shouted. (Dean had to admit, pegging him as Robin was a good call considering the dual reference. He thought maybe he'd pat himself  
on the back later, if he didn't go down in a catastrophic inferno).

There was a man next to him wearing a trench coat, with a serious countenance that contrasted with his puzzled expression, and-

"We are not in Vietnam."

-the voice. Batman for sure. Which leaves Mr. Doom N' Gloom to be Alfred.

"Well!" Robin ignored the comment. "It seems as though everyone got here on time. No soul reaping for you! Except, of course, the Winchesters. Hiya, fellas!"

Another spotlight suddenly shined into existence, this one focusing on Sam and Dean, who had been standing in the back near the door. The students and staff, afraid to not take the strange visitors seriously, glared at the brothers for ruining the perfect  
attendance record. Shame.

"Now, now, no burning holes into the chuckleheads...I need them. You need them. We ALL need them!"

Snorts and whispers broke out in the crowd, peers and teachers alike. Somebody muttered "yeah, right!" just loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

Sam and Dean looked at each other. Were these guys friendlies or not?

Excitable-guy sighed.

"I can tell you need some persuasion. Well, lucky for you all that's what I'm here for! And these two, I suppose. But where are my manners! Oh, right, I don't have any. Anywho, let me round up the last few guests and then we can begin introductions. Works  
a lot easier that way, hmm?"

Before anyone could react, much less process all of what was just said, another fluttering sound was heard and four more people appeared on stage.

The first was tall and rugged looking, with a style similar to Sam and Dean's. He had blood spattered across his jeans and a wicked looking knife in his hand. His fierce snarl melted when he caught a glimpse of the other new arrivals, then turned to confusion  
and apprehension when he noticed the audience. Finally, he locked eyes with the two boys still under a spotlight and his expression hardened.

"Sam. Dean. What the hell-"

"Count yourselves lucky, folks! This right here is the one and only, cursed, legendary, stubborn-as-hell-and-out-of-it-too, John Winchester! Very own father to our guests of honor back there. Say heeeeeeeere's Johnny!"

John looked murderous. The audience, initially afraid of the wild looking man, looked back and forth between father and sons in disbelief.

"Alrighty! Next up, this old coot is-"

"Watch who you're callin' old, ya idjit. You've got the making of a trickster and I'm not about to get pulled into this kinda nonsense."

"-Bobby Singer, and he'd better enjoy the use of his legs while he's got them. Next up!"

The older man's face turned the same red as his old trucker's cap.

"These lovely ladies are Ellen and Joanna-"

"Jo."

"Joanna Beth!"

"-Harvelle. Y'all know each other, I'm assuming. Just kidding, I know."

Ellen and Jo really had nothing else to say about that, but somebody else did.

"What? I mean, Bobby we know, but who are they?"

The question was directed at John, and was, in all honesty, perfectly reasonable in their line of work. The audience, however, took offense.

"Winchester! Watch that mouth, no wonder you can't do anything right in class!"

Now, Ellen may not have met Dean (or Sam) yet, but she's a fierce mama dragon when she wants to be.

"Excuse me, I believe he was asking his father a question. One that's perfectly reasonable in my eyes, considering our line of work. And no, you don't get to ask."

Well, Dean decided that settled that. John also shot him a look that said they would talk later, but mostly Dean decided.

"Ahem. Now that this little cat fight has been taken care of. Final introductions! Saved the best for last."

He gestured to the spotlight.

"Little scrawny one is Sam. Hard to believe he was ever that short. Uh, you'll see. Top Gun over there is Dean. Literally the most important people on the face of this planet. Moving on."

He spoke over the silence that really was too shocked to be broken and gestured to his left.

"Castiel. Call him Cas. All you need to know for now."

And to his right.

"Crowley. Call him Crowley. Again, you'll see. Although, he really can do that soul bit so best behaviors, yeah?"

Finally he swept his hand together and apart like giant wings and bowed. At the bottom the tilted his head up and smirked to the crowd.

"Gabriel, at your service."

He straightened.

"Well, really my service. Details, details...I'll give a quick explanation, then we'll jump right in. Like swimming. Eh, you're all standing. Here, sit up front, it'll be easier."

The Winchesters, Bobby, Ellen, Jo, Cas, and Crowley all took seats in the front two rows. Sam and Dean sat next to each other in the center, with John and Bobby next to Dean and Ellen and Jo next to Sam. Cas, Crowley, and Gabriel would be sitting behind  
the Winchesters.

"Alrighty then, now-"

"Wait just a minute!"

A teacher had stood up.

"Who are you, really? Why does any of this matter? The Winchesters are a nuisance! Why, I heard one of them killed the mother! And we can't be wasting all day on this! There are-"

"You would do well to sit down and shut up. If you must know, time will be frozen for as long as this takes. You will learn necessary information as you watch, just as Sam and Dean will. Er, present and future I suppose."

Thoroughly cowed, the teacher shrank back into her seat.

"Anyone else? No? About time. These are snippets of the future, and a few of the past for explanatory purposes. Most will run like episodes of a tv show, but some will be shorter depending on relevancy of information. The first one is an overall explanation  
of the Winchesters as they are, why they live the way they do, and what will be set in motion when Sam is 22 and Dean is 26. And yes, you will live that long. Congrats."

While the hunters (Winchesters, Bobby, and Harvelles) looked relieved at that knowledge, everybody else was startled. They didn't care about those freaks, but...live that long? That's barely an adult! Not even out of college! And they look...relieved?

Gabriel took his seat as the spotlights turned off and the screen crackled to life.

The audience exchanges nervous glances. How dangerous are these people's lives?

And then...

Lawrence, Kansas  
22 years ago

"WHAT?"


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: Supernatural and all it entails most certainly do NOT belong to me. Carry on.

"WHAT?"

John Winchester was not happy. In fact, he was pissed. Who the hell gave these bozos the right to show this? Sam and Dean barely remember it, and he'd really wanted to spare them the extra agony.

"Now, now Johnny boy, this is important. You know it, I know it, hell, everyone you know knows it. They gotta learn one day, better now when you're here than later."

And, well, what could he say to that?

Sam and Dean were nervous as hell. If this is what they think it is...

The Stonewall population was completely and thoroughly befuddled. What could be so bad in their past? And something they didn't even know about? These people are crazy...

Gabriel snapped his fingers once more and the screen resumed.

EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT

Lawrence, Kansas  
22 years ago

INT. NURSERY – NIGHT

A WOMAN, MARY WINCHESTER, wearing a white nightgown, carries a SMALL CHILD, her son DEAN, into a dark room.

John and Dean both sucked in a pained breath, and Sam looked over, a pained, guilty expression on his face.

"Is that...mom?"

John continued to stare.

"Yeah...yeah, Sammy, that's mom."

Sam looked down in guilt.

MARY  
Come on, let's say good night to your brother.

MARY turns on the lights: it's the nursery of a BABY, SAM, who is lying in his crib and looking over at MARY and DEAN. MARY sets DEAN down. DEAN leans over the side of the crib and kisses SAM on the forehead.

DEAN  
'Night, Sam.

"Wait. That's...Dean? And Sam? Why do we have to watch them as babies? This'll be boring enough without going into excruciating detail."

Everybody turned to look at the speaker, a female student sitting near the middle of the auditorium.

"Well, sunshine, none of this will make any sense until you understand why the Winchesters are the way they are. Savvy?"

She stared at Gabriel for a moment and then sheepishly nodded, pointedly looking back at the screen.

Whispers broke out amongst those out of the loop until a loud "ahem!" was heard from the resident demon.

MARY leans over SAM as well.

MARY  
Good night, love.

Sam felt a few stubborn tears escape as he looked on. A strange mixture of guilt and longing had awakened within him at the sight.

MARY brushes SAM's hair back and kisses his forehead.

MAN  
Hey, Dean.

DEAN turns. The MAN in the doorway wearing a USMC T-shirt is JOHN. DEAN rushes over to him.

DEAN  
Daddy!

JOHN  
Hey, buddy.

JOHN scoops DEAN up.

While the Stonewall crew expressed mild surprise at the contrast between screen-John and real-John, the Supernatural Squad was in a state of disbelief.

John Winchester, machine-like hunter extraordinaire, had been a down-to-earth family man?

"John...I know what happened to change all this, but...I guess I never knew just how much life changed for you all."

John tensed at Bobby's tone, prompting Ellen and Jo to keep their thoughts to themselves. Even their gracious hosts kept quiet, knowing full well that a high strung Winchester is just about the last thing anyone wants to have on hand.

JOHN  
So what do you think? You think Sammy's ready to toss around a football yet?

DEAN shakes his head, laughing.

DEAN  
No, Daddy.

JOHN laughs.

JOHN  
No.

MARY passes JOHN and DEAN on the way out of the room.

MARY  
You got him?

JOHN  
I got him.

JOHN hugs DEAN closer.

JOHN  
Sweet dreams, Sam.

JOHN carries DEAN out of the room, flipping off the lights. SAM watches them go, gurgling, then tries to reach his toes.

"Aw, Sam, you were such a cute baby!"

Sam flushed in embarrassment at Ellen's coo, until-

"Yeah, Sammy...what happened?"

"Shut up, jerk."

"Bitch."

Cue confused civilians.

The baseball-themed mobile above SAM's crib begins to spin on its own while SAM watches. The transportation-themed clock on the wall ticks, ticks, stops. The moon-shaped nightlight flickers.

John made a low sound deep in his chest.

Dean clenched his jaw while Sam forced himself to watch through tear-filled eyes.

Bobby looked on worriedly, feeling like an intruder, not wanting to break the agonizing silence.

INT. MASTER BEDROOM – NIGHT

Lights flicker on a baby monitor sitting on a nightstand next to a photo of MARY and JOHN. Strange noises come through the monitor. MARY, asleep in bed, stirs. She turns on the light on the nightstand.

MARY  
John?

MARY turns: she's alone. She gets up.

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT

MARY walks down the hall to SAM's nursery. JOHN, seen only in silhouette, stands over SAM's crib.

John sucked in a stuttered breath.

"That's not me. Mary, that's not me! It's not me..."

He steadfastly ignored any and all looks of pity thrown his way.

MARY  
John? Is he hungry?

JOHN turns his head.

MAN  
Shhh.

MARY  
All right.

MARY heads back down the hallway. The light by the stairs is flickering. MARY frowns and goes to tap at it till the light steadies.

MARY  
Hm.

All of the hunters in the room groaned loudly at the obvious sign of supernatural activity.

One very brave teacher raised her voice to ask, "what?"

Bobby turned and fixed her with a solemn look. "Everybody knows that flickering lights means 'get the hell outta there!', not 'poke it and see if it wakes up'."

Confused glances shared all around as Bobby turned his attention back to the screen.

More flickering light is coming from downstairs: MARY investigates. A war movie is on TV and JOHN has fallen asleep watching it. If JOHN is here, MARY realizes, then the MAN upstairs cannot be JOHN and must be a danger. She runs back upstairs.

Startled gasps erupted throughout the theatre.

John was sitting hunched over with his elbows on his knees, hands steepled in front of his nose as though wanting to cover his eyes. But he wouldn't - couldn't - because even though he was being forced to relive the worst moment of his  
life, he didn't want to miss any glimpse he could catch of Mary, how she used to be.

MARY  
Sammy! Sammy!

Sam was quickly losing his battle with the tears pooling in his eyes. He frantically shook his head back and forth as he muttered, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault, please, I'm sorry..."

Dean saw Sam's hair flying out of the corner of his eye, and was turning to demand he keep still, goddamnit! when it registered just what Sam was saying. He leaned over to place a reassuring hand on Sam's shoulder-

MARY enters SAM's nursery and stops short.

-which suddenly went rigid.

"NO!"

Everyone in the audience jumped and turned to look at the youngest Winchester. After all, he was the source of the exclamation.

All except John, who finally buried his face into his hands.

"No! Just go! Don't-just...just LEAVE ME! Leave me there, save yourself! You're more important, just GO!"

Dean's hand froze in its reach. The audience cast identical stunned looks at Sam. Bobby and the Harvelles looked to John, who was frozen much in the same manner as his eldest son.

Castiel, Gabriel, and Crowley looked to Sam.

Sam, the gigantor moose man, who back sassed demons and tried his damnedest to make things right.

Sam, the empty little boy, so guilt-ridden by the death of a mother he can't remember that the only way he knows to fix things is if he never existed.

Which sure as hell explains just about everything.

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Upstairs, MARY screams. JOHN wakes up.

JOHN  
Mary?

JOHN scrambles out of the chair.

JOHN  
Mary!

JOHN runs upstairs.

INT. NURSERY – NIGHT

JOHN bursts through the closed door of the nursery.

JOHN  
Mary.

The room is quiet and appears empty except for SAM awake in his crib and JOHN. JOHN glances around and pushes down the side of SAM's crib.

JOHN  
Hey, Sammy. You okay?

"No, no, no it doesn't matter if I'm okay! It's too late, I'm so sorry..."

"Sammy..."

Dean couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked over at John to gauge his reaction, perhaps about to reach out for his emotionally damaged son, and instead saw a man lost within his own mind.

"Sam, don't-Dad, aren't you gonna-I don't-stop! Everybody just stop!"

Silence rang.

Dean rounded on John, who had remained in the same position.

"I know this is hard for you, okay? But dammit! Look at your son! Look at Sammy! He doesn't even remember mom and he's sitting over there wishing he'd been ripped apart as an infant just so you can be happy. So you don't end up like this!  
So we don't end up like this! And you know what?"

Here Dean paused to catch a few ragged, emotional breaths while everybody else held theirs.

Most had expressions of shock on their faces, but a fair few Stonewall audience members were gazing at the Winchesters with despair.

Who knew that devil-may-care, rugged heartbreaker Dean could be so torn up inside?

Dean ignored all this as his eyes bored into the side of John's head.

"If it means that Sammy gets to be here, with us? I would go through it all again. The workouts, the weapons training, the marine boot camp...every fucking day! So you better get it into your head that Sam needs you to tell him that!"

John had finally been broken out of his trance. For a moment he bristled at Dean, a reprimand on the tip of his tongue. Then he glanced past the emotionally distraught face of his eldest and onto that of his youngest, and his own demeanor  
softened.

Just as John opened his mouth to say something, a scream rang out from the audience.

Everybody whipped around to look at the too-nervous-to-be-embarrassed student, who was staring, transfixed, at the screen.

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Upstairs, MARY screams. JOHN wakes up.

JOHN  
Mary?

JOHN scrambles out of the chair.

JOHN  
Mary!

JOHN runs upstairs.

INT. NURSERY – NIGHT

JOHN bursts through the closed door of the nursery.

JOHN  
Mary.

The room is quiet and appears empty except for SAM awake in his crib and JOHN. JOHN glances around and pushes down the side of SAM's crib.

JOHN  
Hey, Sammy. You okay?

Something dark drips next to SAM. JOHN touches it. Two more drops land on the back of JOHN's hand. It looks like blood. JOHN looks up. MARY is sprawled across the ceiling, the stomach of her nightgown red with blood, staring at JOHN and  
struggling to breathe. JOHN collapses onto the floor, staring at MARY.

JOHN  
No! Mary!

MARY bursts into flame. The fire spreads over the ceiling. JOHN stares, frozen. SAM wails. JOHN, reminded he's not alone, gets up and scoops SAM out of his crib and rushes out of the room.

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT

DEAN is awake and coming to investigate.

DEAN  
Daddy!

JOHN shoves SAM at DEAN.

JOHN  
Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don't look back! Now, Dean, go!

Silence, until-

"...you carried me out?"

Dean looked to Sam with no small amount of concern. "Of course, Sammy."

Now Sam looked utterly bewildered.

"But...why? I just...killed...mom..."

Dean could only stare.

This exchange had been going on quietly, and so the traumatized members of the audience hadn't heard anything beyond indistinct mumbling.

"Sam...you didn't kill mom. I'll always pull you out of the line of fire, you're my brother."

The lack of "bitch" was rather telling to those in the know.

DEAN turns and runs. JOHN turns back to the nursery.

JOHN  
Mary!

The entire room is on fire. MARY herself can barely be seen.

JOHN  
No!

EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT

DEAN runs outside, holding SAM.

DEAN  
It's okay, Sammy.

DEAN turns to look up at SAM's window, which is lit with gold.

JOHN runs outside, scoops up DEAN and SAM, and carries them both away.

JOHN  
I gotcha.

Fire explodes out of SAM's nursery window.

Bobby had paled significantly in the last thirty seconds or so. "Jesus...I knew, but I never..."  
He looked to the Winchesters. "You boys need to stop by more often, you hear me?"

EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT, LATER

The Lawrence fire department has arrived. A FIREFIGHTER gets out of a fire truck and takes over at the gauges for another firefighter.

FIREFIGHTER  
I got it. You go hold the line up.

The second firefighter goes to the back of the truck and takes a hose from a third firefighter. That firefighter takes the hose towards the house where a fourth firefighter is spraying through SAM's nursery window. A paramedic opens the  
back of an ambulance. A POLICE OFFICER waves some neighbors back.

OFFICER  
Stay back. You have to stay back.

Across the street from the house, JOHN and DEAN sit on the hood of JOHN's Impala, JOHN holding SAM. JOHN looks up at the remnants of the fire.

The screen cut to black from this heart wrenching scene and Gabriel appeared onstage to address the gob smacked crowd.

"I hope you chuckleheads are beginning to understand, but if you need more proof - besides what we're going to continue to show you, that's right, no stopping early - look over at little Sammy and ask yourselves what the hell he's got  
going on. You think you got it bad? Just you wait."

Surprised by the unusually serious display, the audience remained quiet and on edge, waiting for the next tragedy to strike.

John was about ready to shake himself and have a talk with Sam, but he felt a presence behind him before he could lean over.

"I think you will find it prudent to wait until after this first...episode, if you will...is over to have your talk with Sam."

Bright blue eyes focused on wary hazel as John fought not to fidget under the gaze of Castiel. Finally the spell was broken when Gabriel reappeared in his seat and the screen began playing again.

"Let's continue, shall we?"

Stanford University  
Present Day

"This better not be what I think it is." 


End file.
